A typical multi-speed, dual clutch transmission uses a combination of two friction clutches and several dog clutch/synchronizers to achieve “power-on” or dynamic shifts by alternating between one friction clutch and the other, with the synchronizers being “pre-selected” for the oncoming ratio prior to actually making the dynamic shift. This concept typically uses countershaft gears with a different, dedicated gear pair to achieve each forward speed ratio and possibly a direct drive ratio. This necessitates a large number of gear pairs, especially in transmissions that have a relatively large number of forward speed ratios. Such transmissions tend have a relatively long length to accommodate the large number of gear pairs which adds weight and cost.